The problem is not in the product, the problem is in the false advertisement. It says one thing and
is the complete opposite of the product. You should know up front that you are purchasing an
indexing device with a great sleight of hand move. Nothing wrong with that. But I do not need
another index device. And if I would have that upfront, I would not have made a purchase. If you
don't have one, this is a good one to own. Just tired of the misleading floating around.
The one star is for the false advertisement. I have contacted the maker and still waiting for a
response.
The copy literally says "At the core of "Switch One", there is a special gimmick that truly allows you to retrieve any card." - How did you not realize that this is going to be an index? What is misleading abou tthat?
Sorry, but what you see in the trailer is 100% what you can achieve when putting in the work to study it. The sleight is imo the best one there has been in the past 10-20 years. It is finally something you can use in the real world and is invisible. What's not good about that? Cheers, Andy
Andy, go to his Facebook page. He does the move without going into the index and says that is Switch One, you can't see it. That tells me there is a gimmick he is using to do a switch. Going into his pocket would tell me yes, he is switching from an index.
It's a great index if you don't have one already. I was also told by someone that it is not an index on Magic Cafe, which led me to the purchase.
I have a great index system that I have been using for years. I put in three weeks straight before testing it out on people.
I'm a worker.
How can you not realize this is an index? Are you joking? Did you see any motion to a pocket or even close to one in the promo video? Did you notice he isn't even wearing a jacket in the opening shot? In the uncut performance, do you ever see a gesture to cover a move to retrieve a card? No. Not once. Had we seen the full performance, with the envelope, or even some shot that suggested, then I think most savvy customers might have had some better idea.
But that's not what we are shown. The product is called "Switch One," not "Index One." The trailer seems to intimate that the gimmick is used as part of the actual switch, and it seems purposefully designed to give the impression that the gimmick is helping you to accomplish the switch directly.
The issue is that most of us already have an index or a means of organizing billets, since this concept is far from new. It's a nicely-made index, to be sure, but in no way was it ever even considered a remote possibility that this was the "special gimmick that makes it all possible."
The switch is very good, and I think the move is taught clearly and produces a very convincing effect. However, if you're going to charge $75 for a move, let me know that up front. If you're going to include a "special gimmick," with no option to just purchase the instruction, then you need to let the buyer know that they are paying a premium for a pack-in they may not want or need.
Magic promos are intentionally vague, but most of them provide enough information for someone with some experience to get a reasonable idea of where their dollar will be going. in this instance, all of those clues were absent from the video, and the notion that it will help you "retrieve a thought of csrd" with the imagery in the video clearly--and I believe purposefully--intimates that the gimmick helps accomplish more in the hands.
This is really no different from someone advertising that they have a new product that will allow you to draw a perfect circle or a perfect equilateral triangle seemingly freehand, and you have a gimmick that will make this work. So, you see the video, and it shows someone drawing a perfect circle, and you think to yourself, "wow, this gimmick appears to let you clandestinely use a compass under the spectator's nose!" So, you buy it, only to find that the video just tells you to practice drawing circles, and the gimmick turns out to be a leather-bound pamphlet reminding you what basic shapes look like.
The bottom line is that this advertisement is very misleading, far moreso than is the norm for this industry. This is not the first time Vanishing Inc has done this sort of thing: remember Deep Clear? Promotional materials didn't reveal the really stilted card divination part of the effect, not affording the buyer a clear picture that there was more to the effect than what they see, especially when those additional steps reduce the impact of the effect as if it were being produced by a different method.
The bottom line is that there would have been ways to market this more honestly while still maintaining secrecy. I think it is disingenuous to charge a premium for a gimmick that isn't even necessary to perform the effect as demonstrated. And I stand behind that. That the switch itself is nice (and it is) is immaterial. The bottom line is that you're paying for a move and a gimmick, not a gimmick that helps you accomplish a move. Even the notion that "you're seeing an uncut performance," that only shows the end of the performance and no portion that covers... right there seems to be a clear intent to deceive the buyer. That is the issue.
@zsciaeount - Perfect summary of the issue. I've spoken with Vanishing and I personally don't think it was intentional. They have at least updated the ad copy to say it is an index. I already have an index so was disappointed that was what the gimmick was as well. From my understanding they will allow you to return it for a full refund.
@gonzoish24 - What index are you using?
@gonzoish24 I see your point, but are you telling me you don't see his hand going to his backpocket in the trailer? the only difference is, that in the tutorial he does a longer version with more misdirection. If he would not have offered this version then all the people would have complained that it is too hard to do etc etc..
So he gives you the easy version in the tutorial and the "direct" version is something additional that everybody can figure out by himself, since it is just a different pocket.
@zsciaeount you said: "In the uncut performance, do you ever see a gesture to cover a move to retrieve a card?" Yes! Yes, I do.
Add a comment
